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And in those cases when the information was forthcoming, the prices varied widely from $10,000 to $100,000.

The findings are important, given the demands for greater transparency heard from so many health care stakeholders — including state and federal lawmakers, insurance companies, consumer advocates and health trade groups.

It may also challenge the idea that empowered patients with “skin in the game” can help control health care costs by being smart health care comparison shoppers.

In the study, researchers requested the lowest “bundled price” for a total hip replacement from two hospitals — picked randomly — in every state and Washington, plus from 20 top-ranked orthopedic hospitals nationwide.

The researchers contacted the hospitals up to five times each, telling the hospitals they were asking on behalf of their otherwise healthy 62-year-old grandmother, who didn’t have insurance but was prepared to pay out of pocket for the hip replacement. They were trying to find out the total cost — hospital bills plus physician fees.

They discovered that a simple dollar amount wasn’t so easy to find out with one — or even five — phone calls. The researchers found that just under half — 45 percent — of top-ranked hospitals were able to provide a bundled price — physician and hospital. Just 10 percent of the other hospitals could produce that information.